“Oh, what a touching scene, you two have a good chat.” Irina decided not to listen to this awkward language any longer. She placed two tickets on the table and turned to leave with small steps.
He ignored the beautiful woman leaving, stepped forward, and tightly grasped Khanyi’s shoulders, staring into her tear-filled eyes. “I went from England to America with the instructor, intending to surprise you by visiting your school! I never expected you weren’t even at school! After inquiring for a long time, I found out you weren’t even in America! You withdrew from school to join the Red Cross! You came to Europe!”
“…Does my family know about this?” Her shoulders ached from his grip.
“Family?! How could I dare tell Uncle?! I heard from an official of the Red Cross that you went missing while on a mission. I couldn’t go there, so I had to come here, hoping to find a way to cross over, and unexpectedly found you here!” “Khanyi, you foolish girl! Do you know what you’re doing?! You’re a weak girl wandering in a foreign land! I really regret not listening to Uncle and going to America with you to keep an eye on you!”
“Brother, I’m sorry! I worried you all! But is it really you? I truly… truly never dared to think I could see you again!” She threw herself into his arms, the faint scent of charcoal and ink, along with the strong beating of his heart through his suit, all belonged to Victor. She could no longer control herself and cried out loud in his embrace like a child.
He had intended to continue speaking; he had so much to say to her, but the flood of tears stopped his words. He held her shoulders; she wore a black sweater, and her petite frame seemed even more fragile. He gently stroked her hair, noticing her haggard appearance and how much weight she had lost. Thankfully, she was safe, which eased his heart a little. But hearing her cry tightened his heart again, as if buried within her sobs was immense sorrow. She was already crying so hard she could barely catch her breath, and he gently patted her back.
“Alright, alright, Khanyi, it’s okay, silly girl, brother will protect you.” He used his warm thumb to wipe away her tears, “You really made me worry…”
“I’m sorry, brother, I never thought I would see you again…” She repeated this as she sobbed. His dark eyebrows furrowed tighter, and his heart grew heavier. He had watched her grow up; this girl was innocent and kind, yet so stubborn at her core. She must have suffered some grievances during this time. But he didn’t dare to press her too quickly. After comforting her for a while, once he saw she had calmed down a bit, he continued the previous topic, “Khanyi, it’s not that brother blames you. The situation here is chaotic; you really shouldn’t be so willful.”
She nodded, using the long sleeves of her sweater to wipe away the tear stains on her cheeks. “I know, many places are at war now, and the situation at home isn’t optimistic. Thankfully, you didn’t tell the family; otherwise, father and mother would definitely worry themselves to death…”
He sighed softly, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. I need to find a place to settle down first, then think of a way to return home.” Fortunately, he had prepared in advance and brought some savings, enough for both of them to live temporarily and cover travel expenses.
Khanyi obediently nodded, suddenly seeming to remember something. “Victor… are you studying watercolor painting at the Royal Academy of Arts?”
He looked into her dark eyes, and when his major was mentioned, an uncontrollable emotion surged within him. “Yes, watercolor, pastel, oil painting, and decorative painting. My interests are quite broad; as long as it relates to painting, I thought it was fascinating, passionately pursuing the so-called essence of art. But now it seems, during wartime, none of this is of any use.”
Khanyi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. She had also given up her beloved music to study medical rescue, but she didn’t dare to voice it. She had once been so impulsive and naive, rashly running into a Nazi concentration camp to act as a white angel, only to be severely punished by fate, leaving her battered and exhausted.
